Songs of Sea & Oar
Bád na nGealbhánach
Amhrán é seo a chum Seán Jur Ó Móráin ó Bhun an Bhaile i bparóiste Chill Chrócháin, agus é ag cur comhairle ar shaora bád de mhuintir Ghealbháin. De réir an scéil, bhí beirt a dhein an bád ráis le chéile – bhí Seán Mhortí ‘Tos’ Ó Gealbháin, go dtugtaí Seán an Éithigh mar leasainm air, agus Tadhg Ó Gealbháin ón gCoireán. Bhí sé le maíomh ag an mbeirt ná buafadh éinne ar an mbád a bhí déanta acu, ba chuma cad é an cumas a bheadh sa chriú a chuirfí ar na maidí inti. Ach bhí an file agus an scéalaí Seán Jur in amhras agus do chum sé an t-amhrán seo agus é ag cur comhairle ar an gcriú a bhí roghnaithe gan dul sa rás. Tá cuntas maith sna véarsaí ar chuid dos na hainmneacha a bhí ar na báid saighne ag an am. Sa bhliain 1935 a bhailigh Tadhg Ó Murchú an t-amhrán ó Sheán Jur Ó Móráin.
This song was composed by Seán Jur Ó Móráin, a poet and storyteller from Bun an Bhaile in the parish of Kilcrohane. According to the story, two boatbuilders had just completed a new seine boat, of which they were extremely proud. The boatbuilders were Seán Mhortí ‘Tos’ Ó Gealbháin (his nickname was ‘Seán an Éithigh’ i.e. ‘Seán of the lies’) and Tadhg Ó Gealbháin who lived in Waterville. The boatbuilders were so confident in their craftsmanship that they claimed their boat could not be beaten. They even boasted that the boat was so fast it didn’t matter if the crew was weak, it would still win. The poet Seán Jur had his doubts however, and composed this song by way of advising the crew which had been selected to race in the regatta. The song contains some of the names of the seine boats of those times. The song was collected by Tadhg Ó Murchú from Seán Jur Ó Móráin in 1935.
The Waters that flow ‘round Valentia
This song was collected from the composer Johnny Murphy of Valentia Island for the 1997 Valentia review. It was previously published in the periodical ‘An tOileánach 1972, p.77.
The song eloquently describes the simple joys of boyhood, the transition to manhood and the reality of emigration and changing times. Johnny Pon who is mentioned in the eighth verse refers to John Patrick O’Neill, who was a fish merchant. He would send fish to America packed into barrels. After the Second World War the ‘Beet campaign’ was initiated as a means of providing seasonal work in England. This is referred to in the eleventh verse. Many of the migrant workers stayed in England and found other employment in the building trade. Many never returned to their homeland.
Maidin Bhog Álainn i mBá na Scealg
File mór Uíbh Rathaigh, Tomás Rua Ó Súilleabháin (1785-1848), a chum an t-amhrán seo. Amhrán é seo ina ndeintear cur síos ar thuras farraige a deineadh chun na Sceilge Lá le Michíl (29ú Meán Fhómhair) – lá pátrúin Bhaile an Sceilg. Bhí an tAthair Diarmuid agus cuid dá pharóisteánaigh ag dul go dtí an Sceilg chun an tAifreann a cheiliúradh. D’éirigh stoirm mhór agus an turas á dhéanamh agus b’éigean dóibh casadh. Bhí an t-adh leo an cé a bhaint amach i bPort Mhic Aodha. Is léir ós na hamhráin eile go raibh ana-mheas ag Tomás Rua ar an sagart áirithe seo. Bailíodh an leagan seo den amhrán ó Dhónal Ó hÉilí, Cathair Saidhbhín, agus Pádraig Ó Spealáin, Rinn Ard ag tús an chéid seo caite. Foilsíodh é sa leabhar Amhráin Thomáis Ruaidh a scríobh Séamus Dubh Ó Fiannachta sa bhliain 1914. Tá sé le fáil chomh maith ar an ndlúthdhiosca Maidin Bhog Álainn, é á chanadh ag Máire de Barra.
This famous song was composed by Iveragh’s great poet, Tomás Rua Ó Súilleabháin (1785-1848). The song describes an attempted boat trip to Sceilg Mhichíl on the festival of St. Michael (29th September) – Pattern Day in Ballinskelligs. Father Diarmuid had hoped to celebrate Mass on the sacred rock, when unexpectedly a great storm rose, forcing the boat to turn back. The song captures the relief of the passengers upon reaching the safety and warmth of a public house in Portmagee. This version of the song was collected by Séamus Dubh Ó Fiannachta at the turn of the last century. It was later published in 1914 in the collection Amhráin Thomáis Ruaidh: The Songs of Tomás Ruadh O’Sullivan.
This song appeared in an excellent book about local history and lore (Cahersiveen ‘The town that climbs the mountain’) by local historian Junior Murphy. It was composed by a local gentleman, Jimmy Moriarty. His composition celebrates the achievements of the crew of the seine boat ‘The Liberator’ in 1969 after winning both the Cahersiveen and Dingle regattas her first year in the water. The boat was built by the legendary boat builder and oarsman Johnny Mahony of Ardcost. Johnny Mahony himself has been immortalised in numerous songs.
Bád saighne ab ea an Madge a bhí ag criú ó bhun Chnoicín an Mhadra. Bhí an Madge san iomaíocht i rás mór le linn Regatta Phort Mic Aoidh agus san amhrán seo deintear an criú, Dónall Ó Sé agus Conchúir Ó Laoire ina measc, a mholadh go hard. Moltar chomh maith an Loingseach, an saor a dhein an bád, ach cáintear go láidir criú an fhreasúra i mbád Pheaidí Bhuí agus cuirtear ina leith go rabhadar fealltach sa rás. Meastar gur file mná a chum an t-amhrán áirithe seo agus bailíodh leagan de ó Thomás Ó Murchú, Alachaí Mór, Baile an Sceilg, sa bhliain 1938.
The Madge was a famous seine boat manned by a crew from Dogmount. The Madge competed in a big race held as part of the Portmagee Regatta and in the song the crew, which included Dónall Ó Sé and Conchúir Ó Laoire, is praised highly. The boatbuilder Ó Loingsigh also receives mention, but the crew in Peaidí Buí’s boat is severely criticised for some ungentlemanly conduct during the race. The song is believed to have been composed by a female poet and this version was collected from Tomás Ó Murchú, Allaghee More, Ballinskelligs in 1938.
This song was published in the periodical about the history of rowing off the kerry coast titled ‘The stroke oar’1992. The Mahoney’s were renowned boat builders and oarsmen from Ardcost.
The source for this song was Máire Bean Uí Shé, R.I.P, of Tooreens, Ghleann Mór agus an Coirean. She was the headmistress of Ghleann Mór School and a collector of song and folklore. She published two books ‘Glór na Ghleanna’ and ‘an Ghlaise Ghlé’. The composition was signed Heremon and is thought to have been written prior to 1900. This song was among her papers which she kindly made available to the ‘Binneas Project’.
Súilleabhánach ón dTeamhar in aice leis an Lóthar ab ea Paddy Liath. Fuair sé scéala ó uaisle a bhí thíos ar an gCoireán go raibh fonn orthu turas a thabhairt ar an Sceilg. Bhí easpa triúr fear air Phaddy don gcriú agus b’éigean dó cuireadh a thabhairt do thriúr fear óg dul ina theannta ar na maidí. Cé gur iascairí a bhí iontu is léir ón amhrán go raibh an t- aistear farraige go dtí an Sceilg ró-mhaith dóibh. Ní mó ná sásta a bhí Paddy Liath le cumas na bhfear óg ar na maidí rámha agus murach na fir chríonna ní bheadh an bheart déanta acu. Bailíodh an t-amhrán seo ó Sheán ‘Jur’ Ó Móráin (78) sa bhliain 1935. Mhair Seán ‘Jur’ i mBun an Bhaile, in aice le Daire Fhíonáin.
Paddy Liath O’Sullivan was a renowned oarsman from Teamhar near Loher. One day he received word from some gentlemen in Waterville who wished to visit the Skellig Rock. Paddy attempted to gather his crew for the trip but found himself three men short. He was forced to ask three young from the locality to make up the crew. Although the three fished regularly along the mainland it seems the long arduous trip to Skellig proved too much for them, much to old Paddy Liath’s annoyance. He claims in his song that were it not for the old men in the crew they all would have perished. The song was collected by Tadhg Ó Murchú from Seán ‘Jur’ Ó Móráin (78) from Bun an Bhaile, near Derrynane, in 1935.
Bad í seo a deineadh i nDairbhre de réir an tseanchais. Ní fios anois arbh iad ráiseanna na mbád nó a cumas mar bhád iascaigh a bhain cáil amach di ach moltar go hard í san amhrán seo. Tá an leagan seo bunaithe ar leagan a bhailigh Tadhg Ó Murchú sa bhliain 1935 agus ar leagan níos luaithe fós a foilsíodh sa Lóchrann sa bhliain 1913. Bhí an leagan san curtha ar fáil ag Máire Ní Bhraonáin ón nDoirín i Maistir Gaoithe.
Very little information remains regarding the background of this song. According to local tradition the Léadar was a famous boat in Valentia. It is unclear from the song whether it was as a racing or a fishing craft that it gained fame. Nevertheless the Léadar is highly praised for it’s elegance on the seas. The poet compares her to ‘a slender swan’ and ‘a hawk that refuses to retreat from its enemy.’ The song provided here is based on a version collected by Tadhg Ó Murchú in 1935, and an earlier version published in An Lóchrann in 1913. That particular version had been provided to the journal by Máire Ní Bhraonáin from Doirín near Mastergeehy.
Amhrán é seo a chum Seán Jur Ó Móráin (1858-1942) ó Bhun an Bhaile, gar do Dhaire Fhíonáin. Dhein sé an t-amhrán do bheirt saor báid, duine díobh de mhuintir Ghealbháin ab ea é, fear go dtugtaí Seán Mhortí air, nó ‘Seán an Éithigh.’ Cheap na saoir go raibh an bád déanta chomh maith san acu gur chuma cén sórt criú a chuirfí sa bhád ach go mbuafadh sí. Ní raibh an file Seán Jur ar aon intinn leo áfach, agus molann sé dóibh teacht go dtína bhaile fearainn féin i mBun an Bhaile áit a n-aimseoidís an criú is fearr sa cheantar. Tadhg Ó Murchú a bhailigh an t-amhrán ón Móránach sa bhliain 1935.
This song was composed by Seán Jur Ó Móráin (1858-1942) from Bun an Bhaile, near Derrynane. The song was composed for the benefit of two local boatbuilders who were of the opinion that their boat was so well-built that it would win any race, regardless of the quality of the crew manning her. One of the boatbuilders was Seán Mhortí Gallivan, also referred to as Seán an Éithigh in the song. The poet Seán Jur obviously disagrees with Gallivan’s claims, stating that a good crew is always essential and suggesting Gallivan should come to Bun an Bhaile where he will find the best crew in the land. Tadhg Ó Murchu collected the song from Seán Jur himself in 1935.